Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 September 2011
There is a mass of evidence supporting the belief that adolescents are sexually active but do not use contraception, or do not use it effectively. There are a number of factors which may account for this:
(1) a belief in spontaneous behaviour; (2) lack of acceptance of their sexuality by themselves and by others, especially their parents and their teachers; (3) inadequate sex education; (4) inhibitions about obtaining contraception and actual difficulties encountered.
These headings are very arbitrary since all these factors are inter-related and it is difficult to know where to start.